Program C Ansi Programming Embedded Systems in C and C++ phần 1 doc

Programming Embedded Systems in C and C++
Michael Barr
Publisher: O'Reilly
First Edition January 1999
ISBN: 1-56592-354-5, 191 pages
This book introduces embedded systems to C and C++ programmers. Topics include testing memory devices,
writing and erasing Flash memory, verifying nonvolatile memory contents, controlling on-chip peripherals, device
driver design and implementation, optimizing embedded code for size and speed, and making the most of C++
without a performance penalty.
Why I Wrote This Book
I once heard an estimate that in the United States there are eight microprocessor-based devices for every person. At
the time, I wondered how this could be. Are there really that many computers surrounding us? Later, when I had
more time to think about it, I started to make a list of the things I used that probably contained a microprocessor.
Within five minutes, my list contained ten items: television, stereo, coffee maker, alarm clock, VCR, microwave,
dishwasher, remote control, bread machine, and digital watch. And those were just my personal possessions-I
quickly came up with ten more devices I used at work.
The revelation that every one of those products contains not only a processor, but also software, was not far behind.
At last, I knew what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to put my programming skills to work developing
embedded computer systems. But how would I acquire the necessary knowledge? At this point, I was in my last year
of college. There hadn't been any classes on embedded systems programming so far, and I wasn't able to find any
listed in the course catalog.
Fortunately, when I graduated I found a company that let me write embedded software while I was still learning. But
I was pretty much on my own. The few people who knew about embedded software were usually too busy to explain
things to me, so I searched high and low for a book that would teach me. In the end, I found I had to learn
everything myself. I never found that book, and I always wondered why no one had written it.
Now I've decided to write that book myself. And in the process, I've discovered why no one had done it before. One
of the hardest things about this subject is knowing when to stop writing. Each embedded system is unique, and I
have learned that there is an exception to every rule. Nevertheless, I have tried to boil the subject down to its essence
and present only those things that programmers definitely need to know about embedded systems.
Intended Audience
This is a book about programming embedded systems in C and C++. As such, it assumes that the reader already has

some programming experience and is at least familiar with the syntax of these two languages. It also helps if you
have some familiarity with basic data structures, such as linked lists. The book does not assume that you have a
great deal of knowledge about computer hardware, but it does expect that you are willing to learn a little bit about
hardware along the way. This is, after all, a part of the job of an embedded programmer.
While writing this book, I had two types of readers in mind. The first reader is a beginner-much as I was when I
graduated from college. She has a background in computer science or engineering and a few years of programming
experience. The beginner is interested in writing embedded software for a living but is not sure just how to get
started. After reading the first five chapters, she will be able to put her programming skills to work developing
simple embedded programs. The rest of the book will act as her reference for the more advanced topics encountered
in the coming months and years of her career.
The second reader is already an embedded systems programmer. She is familiar with embedded hardware and
knows how to write software for it but is looking for a reference book that explains key topics. Perhaps the
embedded systems programmer has experience only with assembly language programming and is relatively new to
C and C++. In that case, the book will teach her how to use those languages in an embedded system, and the later
chapters will provide the advanced material she requires.
Whether you fall into one of these categories or not, I hope this book provides the information you are looking for in
a format that is friendly and easily accessible.
Organization
The book contains ten chapters, one appendix, a glossary, and an annotated bibliography. The ten chapters can be
divided quite nicely into two parts. The first part consists of Chapter 1 through Chapter 5 and is intended mainly for
newcomers to embedded systems. These chapters should be read in their entirety and in the order that they appear.
This will bring you up to speed quickly and introduce you to the basics of embedded software development. After
completing Chapter 5, you will be ready to develop small pieces of embedded software on your own.
The second part of the book consists of Chapter 6 through Chapter 10 and discusses advanced topics that are of
interest to inexperienced and experienced embedded programmers alike. These chapters are mostly self-contained
and can be read in any order. In addition, Chapter 6 through Chapter 9 contain example programs that might be
useful to you on a future embedded software project.
• Chapter 1 introduces you to embedded systems. It defines the term, gives examples, and explains why C
and C++ were selected as the languages of the book.
• Chapter 2 walks you through the process of writing a simple embedded program in C. This is roughly the

equivalent of the "Hello, World" example presented in most other programming books.
• Chapter 3 introduces the software development tools you will be using to prepare your programs for
execution by an embedded processor.
• Chapter 4 presents various techniques for loading your executable programs into an embedded system. It
also describes the debugging tools and techniques that are available to you.
• Chapter 5 outlines a simple procedure for learning about unfamiliar hardware platforms. After completing
this chapter, you will be ready to write and debug simple embedded programs.
• Chapter 6 tells you everything you need to know about memory in embedded systems. The chapter includes
source code implementations of memory tests and Flash memory drivers.
• Chapter 7 explains device driver design and implementation techniques and includes an example driver for
a common peripheral called a timer.
• Chapter 8 includes a very basic operating system that can be used in any embedded system. It also helps
you decide if you'll need an operating system at all and, if so, whether to buy one or write your own.
• Chapter 9 expands on the device driver and operating system concepts presented in the previous chapters. It
explains how to control more complicated peripherals and includes a complete example application that
pulls together everything you've learned so far.
• Chapter 10 explains how to simultaneously increase the speed and decrease the memory requirements of
your embedded software. This includes tips for taking advantage of the most beneficial C++ features
without paying a significant performance penalty.
Throughout the book, I have tried to strike a balance between specific examples and general knowledge. Whenever
possible, I have eliminated minor details in the hopes of making the book more readable. You will gain the most
from the book if you view the examples, as I do, only as tools for understanding important concepts. Try not to get
bogged down in the details of any one circuit board or chip. If you understand the general concepts, you should be
able to apply them to any embedded system you encounter.
Conventions, Typographical and Otherwise
The following typographical conventions are used throughout the book:
Italic
is used for the names of files, functions, programs, methods, routines, and options when they
appear in the body of a paragraph. Italic is also used for emphasis and to introduce new
terms.

Constant Width
is used in the examples to show the contents of files and the output of commands. In the body
of a paragraph, this style is used for keywords, variable names, classes, objects, parameters,
and other code snippets.
Constant Width Bold
is used in the examples to show commands and options that you type literally.
is used in the examples to show commands and options that you type literally.
This symbol is used to indicate a tip, suggestion, or general note.
This symbol is used to indicate a warning.
Other conventions relate to gender and roles. With respect to gender, I have purposefully
alternated my use of the terms "he" and "she" throughout the book. "He" is used in the odd-
numbered chapters and "she" in all of the even-numbered ones.
With respect to roles, I have occasionally distinguished between the tasks of hardware engineers,
embedded software engineers, and application programmers in my discussion. But these titles
refer only to roles played by individual engineers, and it should be noted that it can and often
does happen that one individual fills more than one of these roles.
Obtaining the Examples Online
This book includes many source code listing, and all but the most trivial one-liners are available online. These
examples are organized by chapter number and include build instructions (makefiles) to help you recreate each of
the executables. The complete archive is available via FTP, at
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Personal Comments and Acknowledgments
As long as I can remember I have been interested in writing a book or two. But now that I have done so, I must
confess that I was naive when I started. I had no idea how much work it would take, nor how many other people
would have to get involved. Another thing that surprised me was how easy it was to find a willing publisher. I had
expected that to be the hard part.
From proposal to publication, this project has taken almost two years to complete. But, then, that's mostly because I
worked a full-time job throughout and tried to maintain as much of my social life as possible. Had I known when I
started that I'd still be agonizing over final drafts at this late date, I would have probably quit working and finished
the book more quickly. But continuing to work has been good for the book (as well as my bank account!). It has
allowed me the luxury of discussing my ideas regularly with a complete cast of embedded hardware and software
professionals. Many of these same folks have also contributed to the book more directly by reviewing drafts of some
or all of the chapters.
I am indebted to all of the following people for sharing their ideas and reviewing my work: Toby Bennett, Paul
Cabler (and the other great folks at Arcom), Mike Corish, Kevin D'Souza, Don Davis, Steve Edwards, Mike Ficco,
Barbara Flanagan, Jack Ganssle, Stephen Harpster (who christened me "King of the Sentence Fragment" after
reading an early draft), Jonathan Harris, Jim Jensen, Mark Kohler, Andy Kollegger, Jeff Mallory, Ian Miller, Henry
Neugauss, Chris Schanck, Brian Silverman, John Snyder, Jason Steinhorn (whose constant stream of grammatical
and technical critiques have made this book worth reading), Ian Taylor, Lindsey Vereen, Jeff Whipple, and Greg
Young.
I would also like to thank my editor, Andy Oram. Without his enthusiasm for my initial proposal, overabundant
patience, and constant encouragement, this book would never have been completed.
Finally, I'd like to thank Alpa Dharia for her support and encouragement throughout this long process.

Michael Barr
Chapter 1.
Introduction
I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.
-Thomas Watson, Chairman of IBM, 1943
There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.
-Ken Olson, President of Digital Equipment Corporation, 1977
One of the more surprising developments of the last few decades has been the ascendance of computers to a position
of prevalence in human affairs. Today there are more computers in our homes and offices than there are people who
live and work in them. Yet many of these computers are not recognized as such by their users. In this chapter, I'll
explain what embedded systems are and where they are found. I will also introduce the subject of embedded
programming, explain why I have selected C and C++ as the languages for this book, and describe the hardware
used in the examples.
1.1 What Is an Embedded System?
An embedded system is a combination of computer hardware and software, and perhaps additional mechanical or
other parts, designed to perform a specific function. A good example is the microwave oven. Almost every
household has one, and tens of millions of them are used every day, but very few people realize that a processor and
software are involved in the preparation of their lunch or dinner.
This is in direct contrast to the personal computer in the family room. It too is comprised of computer hardware and
software and mechanical components (disk drives, for example). However, a personal computer is not designed to
perform a specific function. Rather, it is able to do many different things. Many people use the term general-purpose
computer to make this distinction clear. As shipped, a general-purpose computer is a blank slate; the manufacturer
does not know what the customer will do with it. One customer may use it for a network file server, another may use
it exclusively for playing games, and a third may use it to write the next great American novel.
Frequently, an embedded system is a component within some larger system. For example, modern cars and trucks
contain many embedded systems. One embedded system controls the anti-lock brakes, another monitors and
controls the vehicle's emissions, and a third displays information on the dashboard. In some cases, these embedded
systems are connected by some sort of a communications network, but that is certainly not a requirement.
At the possible risk of confusing you, it is important to point out that a general-purpose computer is itself made up
of numerous embedded systems. For example, my computer consists of a keyboard, mouse, video card, modem,

hard drive, floppy drive, and sound card-each of which is an embedded system. Each of these devices contains a
processor and software and is designed to perform a specific function. For example, the modem is designed to send
and receive digital data over an analog telephone line. That's it. And all of the other devices can be summarized in a
single sentence as well.
If an embedded system is designed well, the existence of the processor and software could be completely unnoticed
by a user of the device. Such is the case for a microwave oven, VCR, or alarm clock. In some cases, it would even
be possible to build an equivalent device that does not contain the processor and software. This could be done by
replacing the combination with a custom integrated circuit that performs the same functions in hardware. However,
a lot of flexibility is lost when a design is hard-coded in this way. It is much easier, and cheaper, to change a few
lines of software than to redesign a piece of custom hardware.
1.1.1 History and Future
Given the definition of embedded systems earlier in this chapter, the first such systems could not possibly have
appeared before 1971. That was the year Intel introduced the world's first microprocessor. This chip, the 4004, was
designed for use in a line of business calculators produced by the Japanese company Busicom. In 1969, Busicom
asked Intel to design a set of custom integrated circuits-one for each of their new calculator models. The 4004 was
Intel's response. Rather than design custom hardware for each calculator, Intel proposed a general-purpose circuit
that could be used throughout the entire line of calculators. This general-purpose processor was designed to read and
execute a set of instructions-software-stored in an external memory chip. Intel's idea was that the software would
give each calculator its unique set of features.
The microprocessor was an overnight success, and its use increased steadily over the next decade. Early embedded
applications included unmanned space probes, computerized traffic lights, and aircraft flight control systems. In the
1980s, embedded systems quietly rode the waves of the microcomputer age and brought microprocessors into every
part of our personal and professional lives. Many of the electronic devices in our kitchens (bread machines, food
processors, and microwave ovens), living rooms (televisions, stereos, and remote controls), and workplaces (fax
machines, pagers, laser printers, cash registers, and credit card readers) are embedded systems.
It seems inevitable that the number of embedded systems will continue to increase rapidly. Already there are
promising new embedded devices that have enormous market potential: light switches and thermostats that can be
controlled by a central computer, intelligent air-bag systems that don't inflate when children or small adults are
present, palm-sized electronic organizers and personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital cameras, and dashboard
navigation systems. Clearly, individuals who possess the skills and desire to design the next generation of embedded

systems will be in demand for quite some time.
1.1.2 Real-Time Systems
One subclass of embedded systems is worthy of an introduction at this point. As commonly defined, areal-time
system is a computer system that has timing constraints. In other words, a real-time system is partly specified in
terms of its ability to make certain calculations or decisions in a timely manner. These important calculations are
said to have deadlines for completion. And, for all practical purposes, a missed deadline is just as bad as a wrong
answer.
The issue of what happens if a deadline is missed is a crucial one. For example, if the real-time system is part of an
airplane's flight control system, it is possible for the lives of the passengers and crew to be endangered by a single
missed deadline. However, if instead the system is involved in satellite communication, the damage could be limited
to a single corrupt data packet. The more severe the consequences, the more likely it will be said that the deadline is
"hard" and, thus, the system a hard real-time system. Real-time systems at the other end of this continuum are said to
have "soft" deadlines.
All of the topics and examples presented in this book are applicable to the designers of real-time systems. However,
the designer of a real-time system must be more diligent in his work. He must guarantee reliable operation of the
software and hardware under all possible conditions. And, to the degree that human lives depend upon the system's
proper execution, this guarantee must be backed by engineering calculations and descriptive paperwork.
1.2 Variations on the Theme
Unlike software designed for general-purpose computers, embedded software cannot usually be run on other
embedded systems without significant modification. This is mainly because of the incredible variety in the
underlying hardware. The hardware in each embedded system is tailored specifically to the application, in order to
keep system costs low. As a result, unnecessary circuitry is eliminated and hardware resources are shared wherever
possible. In this section you will learn what hardware features are common across all embedded systems and why
there is so much variation with respect to just about everything else.
By definition all embedded systems contain a processor and software, but what other features do they have in
common? Certainly, in order to have software, there must be a place to store the executable code and temporary
storage for runtime data manipulation. These take the form of ROM and RAM, respectively; any embedded system
will have some of each. If only a small amount of memory is required, it might be contained within the same chip as
the processor. Otherwise, one or both types of memory will reside in external memory chips.
All embedded systems also contain some type of inputs and outputs. For example, in a microwave oven the inputs

are the buttons on the front panel and a temperature probe, and the outputs are the human-readable display and the
microwave radiation. It is almost always the case that the outputs of the embedded system are a function of its inputs
and several other factors (elapsed time, current temperature, etc.). The inputs to the system usually take the form of
sensors and probes, communication signals, or control knobs and buttons. The outputs are typically displays,
communication signals, or changes to the physical world. See Figure 1-1 for a general example of an embedded
system.
Figure 1-1. A generic embedded system
With the exception of these few common features, the rest of the embedded hardware is usually unique. This
variation is the result of many competing design criteria. Each system must meet a completely different set of
requirements, any or all of which can affect the compromises and tradeoffs made during the development of the
product. For example, if the system must have a production cost of less than $10, then other things-like processing
power and system reliability-might need to be sacrificed in order to meet that goal.
Of course, production cost is only one of the possible constraints under which embedded hardware designers work.
Other common design requirements include the following:
Processing power
The amount of processing power necessary to get the job done. A common way to compare
processing power is the MIPS (millions of instructions per second) rating. If two processors
have ratings of 25 MIPS and 40 MIPS, the latter is said to be the more powerful of the two.
However, other important features of the processor need to be considered. One of these is the
register width, which typically ranges from 8 to 64 bits. Today's general-purpose computers
use 32- and 64-bit processors exclusively, but embedded systems are still commonly built
with older and less costly 8- and 16-bit processors.
Memory
The amount of memory (ROM and RAM) required to hold the executable software and the
data it manipulates. Here the hardware designer must usually make his best estimate up front
and be prepared to increase or decrease the actual amount as the software is being developed.
The amount of memory required can also affect the processor selection. In general, the
register width of a processor establishes the upper limit of the amount of memory it can
access (e.g., an 8-bit address register can select one of only 256 unique memory locations).
[1]

[1]
Of course, the smaller the register width, the more likely it is that the processor employs tricks like
multiple address spaces to support more memory. A few hundred bytes just isn't enough to do much of
anything. Several thousand bytes is a more likely minimum, even for an 8-bit processor.
Development cost
The cost of the hardware and software design processes. This is a fixed, one-time cost, so it
might be that money is no object (usually for high-volume products) or that this is the only
accurate measure of system cost (in the case of a small number of units produced).
Number of units
The tradeoff between production cost and development cost is affected most by the number
of units expected to be produced and sold. For example, it is usually undesirable to develop
your own custom hardware components for a low-volume product.
Expected lifetime
How long must the system continue to function (on average)? A month, a year, or a decade?
This affects all sorts of design decisions from the selection of hardware components to how
much the system may cost to develop and produce.
Reliability
How reliable must the final product be? If it is a children's toy, it doesn't always have to work
right, but if it's a part of a space shuttle or a car, it had sure better do what it is supposed to
each and every time.
In addition to these general requirements, there are the detailed functional requirements of the system itself. These
are the things that give the embedded system its unique identity as a microwave oven, pacemaker, or pager.
Table 1-1 illustrates the range of possible values for each of the previous design requirements. These are only
estimates and should not be taken too seriously. In some cases, two or more of the criteria are linked. For example,
increases in processing power could lead to increased production costs. Conversely, we might imagine that the same
increase in processing power would have the effect of decreasing the development costs-by reducing the complexity
of the hardware and software design. So the values in a particular column do not necessarily go together.
Table 1-1. Common Design Requirements for Embedded Systems
Criterion Low Medium High
Processor 4- or 8-bit 16-bit 32- or 64-bit

Memory < 16 KB 64 KB to 1 MB > 1 MB
Development cost < $100,000 $100,000 to $1,000,000 > $1,000,000
Production cost < $10 $10 to $1,000 > $1,000
Number of units < 100 100-10,000 > 10,000
Expected lifetime days, weeks, or months years decades
Reliability may occasionally fail must work reliably must be fail-proof
In order to simultaneously demonstrate the variation from one embedded system to the next and the possible effects
of these design requirements on the hardware, I will now take some time to describe three embedded systems in
some detail. My goal is to put you in the system designer's shoes for a few moments before beginning to narrow our
discussion to embedded software development.
1.2.1 Digital Watch
At the end of the evolutionary path that began with sundials, water clocks, and hourglasses is the digital watch.
Among its many features are the presentation of the date and time (usually to the nearest second), the measurement
of the length of an event to the nearest hundredth of a second, and the generation of an annoying little sound at the
beginning of each hour. As it turns out, these are very simple tasks that do not require very much processing power
or memory. In fact, the only reason to employ a processor at all is to support a range of models and features from a
single hardware design.
The typical digital watch contains a simple, inexpensive 8-bit processor. Because such small processors cannot
address very much memory, this type of processor usually contains its own on-chip ROM. And, if there are
sufficient registers available, this application may not require any RAM at all. In fact, all of the electronics-
processor, memory, counters and real-time clocks-are likely to be stored in a single chip. The only other hardware
elements of the watch are the inputs (buttons) and outputs (LCD and speaker).
The watch designer's goal is to create a reasonably reliable product that has an extraordinarily low production cost.
If, after production, some watches are found to keep more reliable time than most, they can be sold under a brand
name with a higher markup. Otherwise, a profit can still be made by selling the watch through a discount sales
channel. For lower-cost versions, the stopwatch buttons or speaker could be eliminated. This would limit the
functionality of the watch but might not even require any software changes. And, of course, the cost of all this
development effort may be fairly high, since it will be amortized over hundreds of thousands or even millions of
watch sales.
1.2.2 Video Game Player

When you pull the Nintendo-64 or Sony Playstation out from your entertainment center, you are preparing to use an
embedded system. In some cases, these machines are more powerful than the comparable generation of personal
computers. Yet video game players for the home market are relatively inexpensive compared to personal computers.
It is the competing requirements of high processing power and low production cost that keep video game designers
awake at night (and their children well-fed).
The companies that produce video game players don't usually care how much it costs to develop the system, so long
as the production costs of the resulting product are low-typically around a hundred dollars. They might even
encourage their engineers to design custom processors at a development cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars
each. So, although there might be a 64-bit processor inside your video game player, it is not necessarily the same
type of processor that would be found in a 64-bit personal computer. In all likelihood, the processor is highly
specialized for the demands of the video games it is intended to play.
Because production cost is so crucial in the home video game market, the designers also use tricks to shift the costs
around. For example, one common tactic is to move as much of the memory and other peripheral electronics as
possible off of the main circuit board and onto the game cartridges. This helps to reduce the cost of the game player,
but increases the price of each and every game. So, while the system might have a powerful 64-bit processor, it
might have only a few megabytes of memory on the main circuit board. This is just enough memory to bootstrap the
machine to a state from which it can access additional memory on the game cartridge.
1.2.3 Mars Explorer
In 1976, two unmanned spacecraft arrived on the planet Mars. As part of their mission, they were to collect samples
of the Martian surface, analyze the chemical makeup of each, and transmit the results to scientists back on Earth.
Those Viking missions are amazing to me. Surrounded by personal computers that must be rebooted almost daily, I
find it remarkable that more than 20 years ago a team of scientists and engineers successfully built two computers
that survived a journey of 34 million miles and functioned correctly for half a decade. Clearly, reliability was one of
the most important requirements for these systems.
What if a memory chip had failed? Or the software had bugs that caused it to crash? Or an electrical connection
broke during impact? There is no way to prevent such problems from occurring. So, all of these potential failure
points and many others had to be eliminated by adding redundant circuitry or extra functionality: an extra processor
here, special memory diagnostics there, a hardware timer to reset the system if the software got stuck, and so on.
More recently, NASA launched the Pathfinder mission. Its primary goal was to demonstrate the feasibility of getting
to Mars on a budget. Of course, given the advances in technology made since the mid-70s, the designers didn't have

to give up too much to accomplish this. They might have reduced the amount of redundancy somewhat, but they still
gave Pathfinder more processing power and memory than Viking ever could have. The Mars Pathfinder was actually
two embedded systems: a landing craft and a rover. The landing craft had a 32-bit processor and 128 MB of RAM;
the rover, on the other hand, had only an 8-bit processor and 512KB. These choices probably reflect the different
functional requirements of the two systems. But I'm sure that production cost wasn't much of an issue in either case.
1.3 C: The Least Common Denominator
One of the few constants across all these systems is the use of the C programming language. More than any other, C
has become the language of embedded programmers. This has not always been the case, and it will not continue to
be so forever. However, at this time, C is the closest thing there is to a standard in the embedded world. In this
section I'll explain why C has become so popular and why I have chosen it and its descendent C++ as the primary
languages of this book.
Because successful software development is so frequently about selecting the best language for a given project, it is
surprising to find that one language has proven itself appropriate for both 8-bit and 64-bit processors; in systems
with bytes, kilobytes, and megabytes of memory; and for development teams that consist of from one to a dozen or
more people. Yet this is precisely the range of projects in which C has thrived.
Of course, C is not without advantages. It is small and fairly simple to learn, compilers are available for almost
every processor in use today, and there is a very large body of experienced C programmers. In addition, C has the
benefit of processor-independence, which allows programmers to concentrate on algorithms and applications, rather
than on the details of a particular processor architecture. However, many of these advantages apply equally to other
high-level languages. So why has C succeeded where so many other languages have largely failed?
Perhaps the greatest strength of C-and the thing that sets it apart from languages like Pascal and FORTRAN-is that it
is a very "low-level" high-level language. As we shall see throughout the book, C gives embedded programmers an
extraordinary degree of direct hardware control without sacrificing the benefits of high-level languages. The "low-
level" nature of C was a clear intention of the language's creators. In fact, Kernighan and Ritchie included the
following comment in the opening pages of their book The C Programming Language :
C is a relatively "low level" language. This characterization is not pejorative; it simply
means that C deals with the same sort of objects that most computers do. These may be
combined and moved about with the arithmetic and logical operators implemented by real
machines.
Few popular high-level languages can compete with C in the production of compact, efficient code for almost all

processors. And, of these, only C allows programmers to interact with the underlying hardware so easily.
1.3.1 Other Embedded Languages
Of course, C is not the only language used by embedded programmers. At least three other languages-assembly,
C++, and Ada-are worth mentioning in greater detail.
In the early days, embedded software was written exclusively in the assembly language of the target processor. This
gave programmers complete control of the processor and other hardware, but at a price. Assembly languages have
many disadvantages, not the least of which are higher software development costs and a lack of code portability. In
addition, finding skilled assembly programmers has become much more difficult in recent years. Assembly is now
used primarily as an adjunct to the high-level language, usually only for those small pieces of code that must be
extremely efficient or ultra-compact, or cannot be written in any other way.
C++ is an object-oriented superset of C that is increasingly popular among embedded programmers. All of the core
language features are the same as C, but C++ adds new functionality for better data abstraction and a more object-
oriented style of programming. These new features are very helpful to software developers, but some of them do
reduce the efficiency of the executable program. So C++ tends to be most popular with large development teams,
where the benefits to developers outweigh the loss of program efficiency.
Ada is also an object-oriented language, though it is substantially different than C++. Ada was originally designed
by the U.S. Department of Defense for the development of mission-critical military software. Despite being twice
accepted as an international standard (Ada83 and Ada95), it has not gained much of a foothold outside of the
defense and aerospace industries. And it is losing ground there in recent years. This is unfortunate because the Ada
language has many features that would simplify embedded software development if used instead of C++.
1.3.2 Choosing a Language for the Book
A major question facing the author of a book like this is, which programming languages should be included in the
discussion? Attempting to cover too many languages might confuse the reader or detract from more important
points. On the other hand, focusing too narrowly could make the discussion unnecessarily academic or (worse for
the author and publisher) limit the potential market for the book.
Certainly, C must be the centerpiece of any book about embedded programming-and this book will be no exception.
More than half of the sample code is written in C, and the discussion will focus primarily on C-related programming
issues. Of course, everything that is said about C programming applies equally to C++. In addition, I will cover
those features of C++ that are most useful for embedded software development and use them in the later examples.
Assembly language will be discussed in certain limited contexts, but will be avoided whenever possible. In other

words, I will mention assembly language only when a particular programming task cannot be accomplished in any
other way.
I feel that this mixed treatment of C, C++, and assembly most accurately reflects how embedded software is actually
developed today and how it will continue to be developed in the near-term future. I hope that this choice will keep
the discussion clear, provide information that is useful to people developing actual systems, and include as large a
potential audience as possible.
1.4 A Few Words About Hardware
It is the nature of programming that books about the subject must include examples. Typically, these examples are
selected so that they can be easily experimented with by interested readers. That means readers must have access to
the very same software development tools and hardware platforms used by the author. Unfortunately, in the case of
embedded programming, this is unrealistic. It simply does not make sense to run any of the example programs on
the platforms available to most readers-PCs, Macs, and Unix workstations.
Even selecting a standard embedded platform is difficult. As you have already learned, there is no such thing as a
"typical" embedded system. Whatever hardware is selected, the majority of readers will not have access to it. But
despite this rather significant problem, I do feel it is important to select a reference hardware platform for use in the
examples. In so doing, I hope to make the examples consistent and, thus, the entire discussion more clear.
In order to illustrate as many points as possible with a single piece of hardware, I have found it necessary to select a
middle-of-the-road platform. This hardware consists of a 16-bit processor (Intel's 80188EB
[2]
), a decent amount of
memory (128KB of RAM and 256 KB of ROM), and some common types of inputs, outputs, and peripheral
components. The board I've chosen is called the Target188EB and is manufactured and sold by Arcom Control
Systems. More information about the Arcom board and instructions for obtaining one can be found in Appendix A.
[2]
Intel's 80188EB processor is a special version of the 80186 that has been redesigned for use in embedded systems.
The original 80186 was a successor to the 8086 processor that IBM used in their very first personal computer-the
PC/XT. The 80186 was never the basis of any PC because it was passed over (in favor of the 80286) when IBM
designed their next model-the PC/AT. Despite that early failure, versions of the 80186 from Intel and AMD have
enjoyed tremendous success in embedded systems in recent years.
If you have access to the reference hardware, you will be able to work through the examples in the book exactly as

they are presented. Otherwise, you will need to port the example code to an embedded platform that you do have
access to. Toward that end, every effort has been made to make the example programs as portable as possible.
However, the reader should bear in mind that the hardware in each embedded system is different and that some of
the examples might be meaningless on his hardware. For example, it wouldn't make sense to port the Flash memory
driver presented in Chapter 6 to a board that had no Flash memory devices.
Anyway I'll have a lot more to say about hardware in Chapter 5. But first we have a number of software issues to
discuss. So let's get started.
Chapter 2.
Your First Embedded Program
ACHTUNG! Das machine is nicht fur gefingerpoken und mittengrabben. Ist easy
schnappen der springenwerk, blowenfusen und corkenpoppen mit spitzensparken. Ist
nicht fur gewerken by das dummkopfen. Das rubbernecken sightseeren keepen hands in
das pockets. Relaxen und vatch das blinkenlights!
In this chapter we'll dive right into embedded programming by way of an example. The program we'll look at is
similar in spirit to the "Hello, World!" example found in the beginning of most other programming books. As we
discuss the code, I'll provide justification for the selection of the particular program and point out the parts of it that
are dependent on the target hardware. This chapter contains only the source code for this first program. We'll discuss
how to create the executable and actually run it in the two chapters that follow.
2.1 Hello, World!
It seems like every programming book ever written begins with the same example-a program that prints "Hello,
World!" on the user's screen. An overused example like this might seem a bit boring. But it does help readers to
quickly assess the ease or difficulty with which simple programs can be written in the programming environment at
hand. In that sense, "Hello, World!" serves as a useful benchmark of programming languages and computer
platforms. Unfortunately, by this measure, embedded systems are among the most difficult computer platforms for
programmers to work with. In some embedded systems, it might even be impossible to implement the "Hello,
World!" program. And in those systems that are capable of supporting it, the printing of text strings is usually more
of an endpoint than a beginning.
You see, the underlying assumption of the "Hello, World!" example is that there is some sort of output device on
which strings of characters can be printed. A text window on the user's monitor often serves that purpose. But most
embedded systems lack a monitor or analogous output device. And those that do have one typically require a special

piece of embedded software, called a display driver, to be implemented first-a rather challenging way to begin one's
embedded programming career.
It would be much better to begin with a small, easily implemented, and highly portable embedded program in which
there is little room for programming mistakes. After all, the reason my book-writing counterparts continue to use the
"Hello, World!" example is that it is a no-brainer to implement. This eliminates one of the variables if the reader's
program doesn't work right the first time: it isn't a bug in their code; rather, it is a problem with the development
tools or process that they used to create the executable program.
Embedded programmers must be self-reliant. They must always begin each new project with the assumption that
nothing works-that all they can rely on is the basic syntax of their programming language. Even the standard library
routines might not be available to them. These are the auxiliary functions-like printf and scanf -that most other
programmers take for granted. In fact, library routines are often as much a part of the language standard as the basic
syntax. However, that part of the standard is more difficult to support across all possible computing platforms and is
occasionally ignored by the makers of compilers for embedded systems.
So you won't find an actual "Hello, World!" program in this chapter. Instead, we will assume only the basic syntax
of C is available for our first example. As we progress through the book, we will gradually add C++ syntax, standard
library routines, and the equivalent of a character output device to our repertoire. Then, in Chapter 9, we'll finally
implement a "Hello, World!" program. By that time you'll be well on your way to becoming an expert in the field of
embedded systems programming.
2.2 Das Blinkenlights
Every embedded system that I've encountered in my career has had at least one LED that could be controlled by
software. So my substitute for the "Hello, World!" program has been one that blinks an LED at a rate of 1 Hz (one
complete on-off cycle per second).
[1]
Typically, the code required to turn an LED on and off is limited to a few lines
of C or assembly, so there is very little room for programming errors to occur. And because almost all embedded
systems have LEDs, the underlying concept is extremely portable.
[1]
Of course, the rate of blink is completely arbitrary. But one of the things I like about the 1 Hz rate is that it's easy to
confirm with a stopwatch. Simply start the stopwatch, count off some number of blinks, and see if the number of
elapsed seconds is the same as the number of blinks. Need greater accuracy? Simply count off more blinks.

The superstructure of the Blinking LED program is shown below. This part of the program is hardware-independent.
However, it relies on the hardware-dependent functions toggleLed and delay to change the state of the LED and
handle the timing, respectively.
/**********************************************************************
*
* Function: main()
*
* Description: Blink the green LED once a second.
*
* Notes: This outer loop is hardware-independent. However,
* it depends on two hardware-dependent functions.
*
* Returns: This routine contains an infinite loop.
*
**********************************************************************/
void
main(void)
{
while (1)
{
toggleLed(LED_GREEN); /* Change the state of the LED. */
delay(500); /* Pause for 500 milliseconds. */
}
} /* main() */
2.2.1 toggleLed
In the case of the Arcom board, there are actually two LEDs: one red and one green. The state of each LED is
controlled by a bit in a register called the Port 2 I/O Latch Register (P2LTCH, for short). This register is located
within the very same chip as the CPU and takes its name from the fact that it contains the latched state of eight I/O
pins found on the exterior of that chip. Collectively, these pins are known as I/O Port 2. And each of the eight bits in
the P2LTCH register is associated with the voltage on one of the I/O pins. For example, bit 6 controls the voltage

going to the green LED:
#define LED_GREEN 0x40 /* The green LED is controlled by bit 6. */
By modifying this bit, it is possible to change the voltage on the external pin and, thus, the state of the green LED.
As shown in Figure 2-1, when bit 6 of the P2LTCH register is 1 the LED is off; when it is the LED is on.
Figure 2-1. LED wiring on the Arcom board